The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-05-07
Jim Boxer, as the landlord called him.
self, said afterward, regarding his sus

)
inter yer mouth with fork l knowed
you were gambler, fer I always noticed
them gents eats that way in the cities"
Boxer, besides holding the various posi-
tons in town OF justice Of the peace,
postmaster, coroner and hotel-keepcr,
was an object Of great interest for miles
around, because he had once gone on a
cheap excursion to Richmond, and he
was never tired of retailing his exploits
in that city when the usual ioafers had
gathered about the fireplace in the back
room Of the grocery chewing like cows
great cuds of tobacco and smoking their
cob pipes. Boxer had brass watcl,
he had bought as souvenir of
his visit 10 the city. and he had
great way Of taking It out every now
and then in the midst of one of his re.
markablc lies and gravely referring 10 the
broken dial, shutting the case finally with
snap and restoring Ito the depths Of
his waistcoat pocket with the remark:
Peers like the old box Is runnin' n little
slow to-day" or5"Wal, now, I've went
and forgot to wind it agin." I arrived ut
Frogs Hollow in the afternoon and lost
no time in getting Mr.. Boxer TO prepare
me n good meal, while took refresh
ing dip in n cold mountain spring which
flowed about quarter OF mile from
the hotel. ..sG If ~
When returned, feeling mole like a
Christian, I found that the worthy land.
lord had cxertcd himself well in my
behalf. There was a pitcher of milk,
MI enormous pic, some ash cakes, fried
hominy, and lastly "fricashoe" of
chicken, as Boxer called n savory stew
intending no doubt that having been to
the city he knew the meaning Of q fri,
casscc. ~ s5 81 IL.
| did justice to the menu and the alta
bic host kept mic company cha,tcrinc
.volubly, and asking no end of questions
about tho great world of which he had
once had such nccting glimpse.
lis was evidently proud TO be seen en-
gagged in conversation with city man,
for he would occasionally turn his head
toward the window and smile affably at
the row OF tow-headed natives, who
were surveying me with awcd express
sions in their faces over the window.sill.
until felt like n monstrosity on cxhibi.
ton in II museum. ~ ~:
After had wrought considerable
havoc In the viands, we went out on the
front porch, still followed hy IN admir-.
ing crowd, and was offered n cob pine
ny my, host filled with highly-tlavored.
though green tobacco, which gave forth
assrong acid smoke, yet not unpleasant
to smell. Il II Is N -.
II was goin'j to ask YOU" said Mr..
Boxer, when the pipes were in full blast,
"Ef you'uns had ever went TO a reel ole
all night party in the mountings, 'llow
u chap like you'd, like to see SIGH ldoin's.n
llc then proceeded TO tell me Mt some
length that old Wink Nixon, who lived
on the other side of the valley, had de.
ci,led TO give an all-night party, rs he
Ind daughter who was "kind o slow o.
glttin' married" and thought that party.
might stir the boys in the ncighborhood
up bit to the recognition Of her nu.
mcrous charms. aFg} a
l decided to accept Mr.. BOXERS invita-.
tion, anu rs my mare was now shod and
the landlord had equipped himself with
a. raggGd-looking mule, we rode OF down
INC valley just as the silver crescent of
nc moon was browning the hills with
light. N3,1',ii' 10 3 -,
Even the voluble Mr.. Boxer said little
rs We galloped on, enjoying, as / did,
the beauties of the night and tho moon
lit panorama that unfoldcd itself in end.
less variety. There was a balsamic odor
OF pines in the mir and tho silver tinkle
OF rushing waters, with now and then
the bark Of a fox, or the loot Of a night
owl, and above; us hung, like a great
pearl, the pale moon, which shed q mild
radiance on the tortuous roadway choked
with brush and young saplings. 7siIi,sS
As We had mo women to- carry" We
were able to make good progress, but
the fact that some unobservcd bush
would spring back and hit me in the face
at regular intervals during the Journey
rather discouraged the development Of
poetic thought. So I did not enjoy the
scenery as much as l might had It been
viewed from the luxurious seclnsion Of
saPulman car. n n a4isll
Getting struck between the eyes by a
/ dJy'yyoung birch tree Is very apt; to